


Day 01: Blood

by RyuuShinobi



Category: Borderlands (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Minor Injuries, Nonbinary Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 16:31:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16876299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RyuuShinobi/pseuds/RyuuShinobi
Summary: Prompt: blood. Maya defends Zer0, and tends to their wounds.





	Day 01: Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Posted this on Tumblr back in 2016. Did some minor editing to post it here. Thanks for reading, & I hope you enjoy!

Injuries were not commonplace in Zer0’s line of work. An injury meant sloppy work, letting someone get close enough for a strike, and that would not do for someone who preferred to assassinate targets from afar.

A tingling sensation raced across Zer0’s forearm as a bullet grazed their limb. Zer0 flung the Jakobs sniper rifle sideways as they instinctively ducked and rolled away. Clutching a four-fingered hand to the wound as blood seeped through and around the torn fabric, Zer0 lifted their head to glare at their attacker.

Or, what was left of said attacker. A charred bandit corpse lay before Zer0, and just beyond the body was a certain Siren, her SMG still warm and tattoos slowly fading. Zer0 let their head fall back with a thud, the rest of their body following suit as they temporarily relaxed. “Thanks, my siren friend. / They snuck up on me, silent / as a prowling skag.”

Maya smiled. She tucked her weapon away, the submachine gun hanging loose against her hip. “It happens. That’s why we work in groups, to watch each others backs. So for that, you’re welcome,” she said, a light laugh dancing on her lips. She stepped forward, her head checking from side to side, looking for any straying bandits that wanted to wander too close. Satisfied that the immediate area was clear, Maya found herself at Zer0’s side, and offered a hand for them to stand up.

The familiar red exclamation mark lit up Zer0's helmet, and they took the Siren’s hand to help themselves up. Zer0’s head dipped slightly, a nod of recognition and thanks.

“Let me have a look at that.” Giving Zer0 no room to protest, Maya grabbed their injured arm, holding it carefully but firmly.

“It’s merely a scra—”

“Ah!” the Siren scolded, and Zer0 knew better than to continue to talk.

They were right, of course. It was a small wound, only a scratch across the surface, and the blood that soaked into the assassin’s body armor was scabbing over quickly. Maya tsked. “It’s a deep cut. Lots of blood. I’m surprised you’re still conscious. Might even be fatal, but I’m not sure if I can tell at this point. Gotta get you to Zed’s as soon as possible. That’d be for the best.” She shook her head, and retrieved a cloth from her pack. She dabbed at the wound, and had to bite her lip to hold back laughter when she chanced a look upwards at Zer0.

They were flinching away, so dramatic and obviously fake, and if Maya could see their face, she would be sure they were making the most unflattering faces. Zer0 kept twisting, trying to pull their arm out of the Siren’s grip, but she wouldn’t let up. “Ow ow ow, OW, ow! / Maya, ouch, that is burning! / Would you please let go!”

“Pfft! Sit still!” Maya commanded, attempting to make her voice sound stern, but finding that difficult to do between stifling the laughter that was threatening to bubble out of her throat. She had to stop for a moment, pausing and looking away from Zer0, just long enough to regain composure. Zer0 had, thankfully, stopped their obnoxious wiggling and complaining.

It took a moment, but Maya looked up once more, her eyebrows pressed together in a firm glare, only to have the laughter she swallowed down, come right back up in an explosion of sound. “Hehehehe!” she giggled, dropping her hold on Zer0’s arm to clamp her hands to her mouth right after an undignified snort.

Zer0 lifted their arm, turning away to get a good look at the scrape to confirm it was indeed almost nothing in terms of severity, but not before a smug smiley face graced the front of their helmet.

“Zer0!” Maya managed between gasping laughter. Her face was red, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes, with the stray one rolling down her cheek and getting wiped away by the hands still covering her mouth. “Zer0!” she exclaimed again, voice muffled, and while she couldn’t finished another sentence, let alone word, she resolved to butt her head against the assassin’s shoulder in resignation.


End file.
